Eels Blogs

Replies

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  Kramerica May 24, 2017 at 2:02am

  He was awesome.

  I reckon we could have won a competition on his shoulders. He was so quick for a huge man, and skillful. 

  I remember he played in a trial against St George at Parra Stadium, he returned the ball from the kick off and burst straight through their line. Of all the super league signings that year he was the one I was most excited about.

  What a talent.
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    Davo 'RIP feet for hands Toutai' > Kramerica May 24, 2017 at 7:35am

    Yeah Kra he was one of NRLs first signings when super league came along remember the press conference and Adam was sitting there with NRL hierarchy. He could get a ball away had soft hands the big fella.
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  Camo73 May 24, 2017 at 6:09am

  Yep. He was saying that someone contacted him and said that they too have the same cyst and life has gone on as normal for them.
  He also said that it was the 14 subsequent surgeries that left him the way he now is and that they expected the cyst to be drained and him back playing footy a few weeks later.
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  Davo 'RIP feet for hands Toutai' May 24, 2017 at 7:21am

  I missed sterlo I'll have to find it. I have known Adam all my life. We still have a good chat every time we see each other. I remember hitting him with my right than my left shoulder I had two dead shoulders at once. I remember we took him out as a teen for his birthday and had to wake his old man to get him up the stairs. I went to church with everyone he knows at the time when he was in hospital. Glad he came out the other side still a gentlemen to this day.
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  Eel for life May 24, 2017 at 8:16am

  Not sure it was a tumour??
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  Mitchy May 24, 2017 at 8:24am

  Yes, agree. He was a good bloke and a tough bugger for someone so young; v sad what occurred to Ritso. That was one of my favourite era's besides early 80's as we bought Canterbury big 4 (who were genuine good players) and Ritson and also Raper. Great memories but v sad and hope he is having some good quality of life. 
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  colin hussey May 24, 2017 at 8:38am

  The tackle from Lomax was a shocker, but, it was actually credited with saving Ritsons life.
  
  Ritson had not had any indications of problems, but when he was sent for Xray/scans following the tackle it revealed the tumour and was told he would never play again.  IIRC, the medicos at the time said that had it not been discovered when it was, Ritson would have likely suffered a severe brain seizure and would not have recovered. I don't reccolect the time frame that was given him had he had a seizure but it was not that long and would have been fatal.

  Definitely a sad story and did not see it, yet I understand he has had problems over the years but at least he's alive and thankfull that a bad head high saved his life.
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    Mapik > colin hussey May 24, 2017 at 8:52am

    In the interview he says it was a cyst not a tumor and that he was told they would drain it and he would be back playing within weeks. 14 operations later and he was never to play again.
    
    Pretty sad to hear he spoke to a person with the same type of cyst live a full normal life not knowing it was there.
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  JJ - The EEL May 24, 2017 at 11:21am

  A good kid when he came across to the Eels with huge amount of untapped potential. It was a pre-existing condition that he had, the Lomax tackle whilst very ugly by today's standards probably actually saved this kids life and his condition was then diagnosed.
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  Michael Ericson May 24, 2017 at 10:49pm

  Ritson had a benign cyst not a tumour. He could have possibly just gone on and it wouldn't have effected him. There were conplications post surgery that the doctors didn't expect.